by Geoff Gander, 1997 - special thanks to Marco Dalmonte

Very little in known about the Lhomarrians by current Mystaran sages - if fact, if asked, many would doubt their existence. Only the DM has the full story of who they were, but players can discover this if they venture to the Hollow World…

Unlike many other cultures detailled by TSR and by enterprising DMs and players alike, the Lhomarrians do not have a direct correspondence with any real world cultures. This is because they are based upon mythological accounts of the people of Atlantis, as written by Plato and others. In their general cultural outlook, people will be able to find similarities with Greek, and other cultures, but overlaid by that of mythic Atlantis. The Lhomarrians are a combination of these and more. With this in mind, I will describe them as a people, their values, their way of life, and their society.

As discussed briefly in my article on the lore and legends of Y’hog, the Lhomarrians are not a race unto themselves; but a fourth branch of humanity, largely vanished from the surface world except for small enclaves in the Lost Valley region. The article on the history of Lhomarr on the surface world provides more detail on this topic.

As a people, the Lhomarrians are of average height, but are stockier than the average human, and also tend to have more hair on their bodies. In terms of skin tone, they range from a medium olive to a light pink complexion. Despite their appearance, however, the Lhomarrians are not a people who live in hot climates. When the Lhomarrians first arose on the surface, they developed in southern Skothar, which was then near the equator, and very tropical. They eventually migrated to old Lhomarr, which, although far to the south, was blessed with milder temperatures thanks to both warmer ocean currents, and a microclimate, much like that enjoyed by Blackmoor during its heyday. Otherwise, old Lhomarr would have had a climate much like that of northern Norwold and the modern Thonian Marches. Thus, they arose in a tropical land, but migrated to more temperate climes. Their constant exposure to the sun, and its reflection over the sea, allowed them to retain their pigmentation.

Most Lhomarrians have brown hair and eyes, although hazel or green eyes, and reddish-brown hair, are not uncommon. Lhomarrians with blond hair or blue eyes are quite rare, and people having such a hair and eye colour combination will not escape notice.

Generally, Lhomarrian women wear their hair long, with the wealthier ones often tying it up with delicate, wire-like jewellery made from precious metals and stones. The most common form of dress for women is an ankle-length dress with sleeves reaching down to the elbows, belted at the waist. They are often white or brown in colour for the average woman, but richer ones will have dresses with vibrant colours. Over top of this dress many wear a long vest, extending below the waist, which often has colourful patterns dyed into it. Again, richer women will wear vests made from better fabrics, and having more colours. Counter to what many would expect, there is nothing forbidding women in lower economic classes from wearing upper-class garments - as long as they can afford the clothes, they can wear them. In terms of footwear, most women wear stockings (of finer fabrics for the wealthy) underneath sturdy leather shoes.

Lhomarrian men generally keep their hair short, although many have short, well-trimmed beards. Most commoners wear simple cloth sleeved tunics, belted at the waist, and pants. They will also wear boots or shoes. As with women, the richer the man, the more vibrant and well-made his clothing will be. Commoners generally wear clothing that is white, grey, or brown in colour, although colour choices are not limited to these.

Military Dress and Equipment:

In times of war, Lhomarrian soldiers will wear bronze helmets and arm and leg greaves, combined with a bronze scale mail hauberk. Often, tabards depicting national symbols, or division emblems, are worn over the armour. Most warriors arm themselves with bronze spears and shields, as well as short swords or hand-axes. If distance weapons are needed, the Lhomarrians can equip themselves with short bows or slings. Two-handed weapons, as well as long swords and crossbows, are unknown to them. Less offensive weapons include staves and daggers.

Lhomarrian sailors wear leather armour, as this is light enough that they can still swim if knocked overboard. Many use the short sword as the weapon of choice, but some will use tridents as well.

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